West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-01-21
SOCIAL DEAD BEATS"
HowLlNe SMELLS WHO LIVE ON
THEIR RICH AcoUAINTANcEs.
They Find IL Economical to Go into So.
elety and Join Swell Ciub-sub-
sisting on the Fat Of
the Land.

INew York Cor New Orleans Times-Democrat]
There are any number OF young fellows
who live apparently ike the sons Of million
airas ON the small salaries thsy get for
aclerkings in some Wall street banking
honse They are bowling swells-and yet
don't make enough money TO pay Tor tne
clothes they wear. How do they DO IL you
ask Why, they sponge on society. xou can
count almost on your fingers the Few society
people who are able to entertain elegantly
the rest are the entertained. 10 TINS class
balonz all the bowling swells tand their
number is vast who live on an income al
most nominal compared to the snow tney
make.
How can they afford 1t, you ask. How
can they live as they do, go into society
and belong to swell club On pittancef
Because by going into society and belong
ing TO a swell club. they actually economics.
They thus get for nothing what would other
wise cost them tenfold their income.
man OF good manners who can get credit
for a dress suit at fashionable tailor's can
live for almost nothing outside his club
dues He Is invited to dinner rarties dur
inc the season on an average OF i've times a
week Therefore he lives most OF the time
on tho fat OF the land for nothing. All the
entertainers demand Of him in return is
that when he comes to them to be fed he
win behave himself properly and make
himself agreeable By the same people he
is invited TO the opera and the theatre.
From his box seat he can look down upon
the people far Weather than he-perhaps
one OF the partners of the house which pays
him his pittance of a salary.
His holiday in summer he divides between
his friends yachts AMI country places. A
cruise costs him nothing; fortnight at
Newport only his travelling expenses there
and return. II he has small income, and
does not have to Hclerk, SO much the better,
for he can sponge on his rich society friends
all summer instead, like the clerking swell,
only choosing his holiday. 1t is in summer
that the "clerking" swell derives the most
benefit from his club-presupposing, OF
course, that he doesn't play cards and run
the risk Of being cleaned out in ono night
for he can get his meals cheaper at the club
than at any restaurant.
His club connection has, moreover, the
general utility of enabling him to get credit.
He can 90 to fashionable tailor and dress
far beyond his means, and yet keep the duns
at bay by small payments on account The
same tactics can be employed with other
tradss-people. He can actually get along
and be in good standing with taiiors, haber-
dashers and florists by paying for about 10
per cent q what be purchases.
There is another class If bowling swellS,
VIZ: Those who, on the strength OF their
prosperous appearance simply cheek it, and
contract debts which they never expect to
pay, and rely for safety on our loose laws,
which favor the debtor rather than the cred
itor. Such one CANDLES doesn't pay when
he loses, and is sure 10 collect when he wins.
He is usually lively and entertaining, and
his friends like him we'll enough to put up
with his lack of pecuniary responsibility,
aud viii lend him couple Of hundred even
if they know that they viii never see it
again. They are simply paying him for
amusing them. The ladies know nothing
Of his loose methods, and Sc his standing in
society is not impaired.
Such ara the two classes Of bowling swells
with limited incomes. The latter, those
who cheek it and never pay, are the dead
beats Of society; tho former, though not
quite dead beats, come within 10 per cent
OF being such. The 10 per cent live almost
entirely on the bounty OF Others, the gen.
uine dead heats entirely. Both ara the
tramps Of society but instead OF being put
of with crush and scowl they are wei.
coined with Terrapin la Financiere and q
smile All the same they ara tramp